The March of Progress [V0.2.0]

[size=150]UPDATE: Archer and Beta missiles are GO.[/size]
I’ll be doing a few more missiles, this time non-capital related, then moving onto ships and energy weapons. These will be kind of better then the current missiles, by a fairly large amount. Keep in mind these are the first piece of a longer term development strategy from Rebel Fleet Command R&D!

As you can guess from the title, this mod is NOT ready for release. It is a work heavily in progress. I am making this thread to post my current ideas and bottlenecks and get advice, as well as to actually keep myself on task. The “Notes” section will be updated weekly.

Ah, progress. How many innovations have come out of the horrors of war and death? Surely more then can be recognized! And while many of these innovations may even have peaceful applications, there are times when the R&D departments of the various factions have to just say “screw it, our weapons/shields/armor just aren’t good enough!” This spurs research, development, and the eventual fielding of new, upgraded, and stronger parts.

[size=150]Modules:[/size]
Archer-Class Anti-Cruiser Missile

[code][config]
unlockcost = 0
lockable = 0
armour_penetration = 52
category = “WEAPONS”
classname = “SIM_MissileModule”
cost = 377
crew_required = 35
damage = 13
decoy_release_range = 450
description = If your crew isn’t going blind from updating firing solutions, then you’re using the wrong kind of missile!’-- Commander Raymond Saliron, Captian of the RNS Experimental Weapons Testing Platform “Archer”."
fire_interval = 1405
flareuvid = 0
fuel = 1400
guiname = “Archer-Class Anti-Cruiser Missile Launcher”
has_decoys = 1
has_flare = 1
hitpoints = 205
icon = turret
min_range = 270
max_range = 1500
missilelength = 4.0
missilespeed = 0.32
missilewidth = 2.0
name = “cruiser archermissile”
powerconsumed = 24
shield_penetration = 48
size = “CRUISER”
sound = data/sounds/missile_launch.ogg
soundvolume = 1.0
submunitionslive = 1
tracking_speed = 0.6
trail_fade_time = 700
turnspeed = 0.75
turret_sprite = “turret_miss_v3”
turretsize = 12.0
warhead = EXPLOSIVE
weight = 310
slot_type = TURRET
uisortpos = 1125

[dataitems]
0 = cost,DECIMAL
1 = weight,DECIMAL
2 = hitpoints,DECIMAL
3 = powerconsumed,DECIMAL
4 = max_range,DECIMAL
5 = damage,DECIMAL
6 = fire_interval,INTEGER
7 = tracking_speed,DECIMAL
8 = shield_penetration,DECIMAL
9 = armour_penetration,DECIMAL
10 = crew_required,INTEGER
11 = min_range,DECIMAL
12 = has_decoys,BOOL
13 = missilespeed,DECIMAL
[/code]
Beta-Class Anti-Capital Missile

[code][config]
unlockcost = 0
lockable = 0
armour_penetration = 80
category = “WEAPONS”
classname = “SIM_MissileModule”
cost = 200
crew_required = 27
damage = 75
decoy_release_range = 250
description = “Some people think the best way to kill capital ships is by swarming them to death. The designers of this missile are clearly not of this school of thought.”
fire_interval = 2600
flareuvid = 0
fuel = 2200
guiname = “Beta-Class Missile Launcher”
has_decoys = 1
has_flare = 1
hitpoints = 105
icon = turret
min_range = 300
max_range = 750
missilelength = 4.0
missilespeed = 0.12
missilewidth = 2.0
name = “cruiser betamissile”
powerconsumed = 35
shield_penetration = 65
size = “CRUISER”
sound = data/sounds/missile_launch.ogg
soundvolume = 1.0
tracking_speed = 0.35
trail_fade_time = 1000
turnspeed = 0.5
turret_sprite = “turret_miss_v5”
turretsize = 12.0
warhead = EXPLOSIVE
weight = 233
slot_type = TURRET
uisortpos = 1135

[dataitems]
0 = cost,DECIMAL
1 = weight,DECIMAL
2 = hitpoints,DECIMAL
3 = powerconsumed,DECIMAL
4 = max_range,DECIMAL
5 = damage,DECIMAL
6 = fire_interval,INTEGER
7 = tracking_speed,DECIMAL
8 = shield_penetration,DECIMAL
9 = armour_penetration,DECIMAL
10 = crew_required,INTEGER
11 = min_range,DECIMAL
12 = has_decoys,BOOL
13 = missilespeed,DECIMAL[/code]

This mod will come in phases:
Phase 1: Weapon upgrades. These will be upgraded modules, only 1-2 per race. Each one will play off what is the percieved strength of the race, and while not brutally overpowered will generally be comprable to the strongest module of that type available.
[CURRENT PROGRESS: Working on Rebel Archer- and Beta- Missiles]

Phase 2: Module Upgrades. Faster engines, larger crew compartments, higher degrees of automation, better anti-missile or ECM defense, lighter armor, thicker shields… The stuff that’s designed to counter the upgraded weapons. Again, these won’t be made to be over powered. They’ll be designed to play off the weaknesses of the modules from phase 1.

Phase 3: Hulls. This is what every R&D nut dreams of getting approved, a capital ship hull. Big, covered in engines and defenses, these mobile warstations can capture or clear entire systems with just a light supporting fleet. These were what the modules from phase 1 and 2 are meant to be used on. They will be balanced a lot more agressivly then the other things in this mod. After all, a 20 hardpoint 40 standard module ship would be big, expensive and SLOW. After i finish this phase, i’ll see about adding ideas people have.

Of course, throughout there will be balance tests.

NOTES:
10/20/10
The current modules i’m working on, the Archer and Beta missiles, are extensions of both the missile doctrine i use personally when building my offensive fleets and that i feel would be more realistic.

The Archer missile is a missile with an extended range (~1250-1300 at the moment) and a faster flight time, with superb shield penetration (27 atm, considering if there’s any way to drop this to say 23 and create a module that will buff shield penetration, but so far no luck) and a high tracking speed, slightly higher then that of the Fast Missile. It separates it’s decoys just beyond current point defense ranges, or 450, although it is lacking the Multi-warhead feature.
CURRENT ISSUES: tuning balance of damage, armor pen and shield pen. Refire rate (looking for a high refire rate, but in tests if it goes to high even at 2 damage it can blow through just about everything.)

I finished the flavor text of the Beta-Missile earlier. “Hailed as the 'magic bullet” for killing cruisers out beyond energy weapon range, the designers of this missile finally decided to just think BIG. Combining the advantages of all the missiles, they created this Behometh-Class Anti-Cruiser Missile, or Beta-Missile." This is a truly massive missile, with it’s weight at 233 for testing purposes. It has massive armor pen, huge shield pen, Mega-ton range damage and a multi-warhead feature packed into a Fast-missile range. Conversly, it’s flight speed is a crawl, it has a long refire time, the tracking speed is .2, and it drops it’s decoys at 100, well within the engagement envelope of the current anti-missile defenses.
CURRENT ISSUES: Getting the coding right for this module, making it distinct enough from the other modules that it has a role. While it’s damage means it needs to be able to be intercepted easily with default modules, if it’s to slow it is useless and won’t be used.

10/28/2010
Bleh, getting sick never ever helps ANYTHING.
Still working (very slowly) on my Archer- and Beta missile’s, the problem I’m running into is the lack of a clearly defined role for each. With the Beta as it is now it’s a slow, single warhead (with decoys) missile that seperates from it’s decoys at i think 350 (or within PD range of most of the cruiser modules). The problem is that with it as slow as it is, even 1 or 2 PD emplacements per ship can knock out the entire volley well enough to take out the missile ~75% of the time. Whereas the archer is a fast, long range multi-warhead missile that seperates JUST outside PD range. It’s slightly faster then the Fast missile, out ranges the Cruiser missile by ~10%, and has ~a 10% faster refire rate. however, to compensate for this i had to drop damage; which means that even with those other buffs it isn’t working out to the same damage/missile ratio’s i get with fast or cruiser’s. So some more SERIOUS tweaking is needed, sadly.

To do: Work on initial designs for capital ships.

11/1/2010
Archer and Beta missiles are released!

sounds interesting, just reaber to incress the missile size for the beta to make it look about the size of a frigate. I have done this with my Citidel torpedos from Eve-online and MIGHT be making a specal missile dds file to use if possable.

I was only running with about 5 times the normal size of a missile… still pretty big, but not THAT big. (Remeber this has to be shot from a cruiser initially. The MK2 might be freaking HUGE)

Hmm, found what may end up being my first hull (a specialized dog-fighting Fighter).
Now just need to figure out how to actually make the ship!

Ha, think i found PNG’s of all the FT I want to use for the first group of ships i make :smiley:
First group won’t be modeled by me, sadly.

I have replaced the current missie with one of my own design, I’ll keep you up to date if it makes it into my finial mod.

which one? Maybe PM me the text file of it so i can play around with it?
balancing missiles is actually pretty fun

Esp. when you’re sick. Nothing says free time like stomach illness!

This missile sprite itself, It is no longer the bullet looking one. In fact i simple copyed over the bullet.dds file with one of my own. It look very very cool at 30 by 10 looks like a cruise missle!

ooh, that actually sounds pretty awesome! Can you post a screen shot here or in your thread?

Making VERY slow progress on the two new missiles. The balancing of them is the hard part

I can sympathise :slight_smile: I hate it, I always thought I was a fairly technical minded guy and wouldn’t mind the number crunching, but when it came to it I enjoyed the graphical side of mod making most :slight_smile:

Well i don’t actually know how to do 3D modeling so i’m still having to learn how to do it. Atm i’ve found some pretty interesting FT hulls online, but since i didn’t make them and i can’t find the maker’s email address i’m hesitent to use them :confused:

I’m tempted to just say screw it and make them balanced reletive to each other, not the rest of the missiles. After all, this mod is meant to be RESPONSES to what the races learned from the basic GSB…

Well, here goes! This is the Alpha of my test fast fire, extended range Anti-Cruiser missile. It’s designed to counter threats of large well armed and armored Cruisers, sometimes quite fast ones. Please try this out in your game and tell me what tweaks you think it should have.

[code][config]
unlockcost = 160
lockable = 1
armour_penetration = 45
category = “WEAPONS”
classname = “SIM_MissileModule”
cost = 450
crew_required = 16
damage = 10
decoy_release_range = 450
description = “:The largest problem facing missile engagements today is the lack of range, the failure to penetrate increasing armor and shield levels, and the pathetic number of missiles ships fire. Honestly! If you crew isn’t going blind from updating firing solutions, then you’re using missiles wrong!”–Commander Raymond Saliron, Captain of the RNS Experimental Weapons Testing Platform “Archer” shortly before demonstrating this devastating new missile."
fire_interval = 1150
flareuvid = 3
fuel = 1500
guiname = “Archer-Class Anti-Cruiser Missile Launcher”
has_decoys = 1
has_flare = 1
has_splines = 0
hitpoints = 100
icon = turret
min_range = 495
max_range = 1320
missilelength = 4.0
missilespeed = 0.38
missilewidth = 2.0
name = “cruiser rocket”
powerconsumed = 4
shield_penetration = 47
size = “CRUISER”
sound = data/sounds/missile_launch.ogg
soundpriority = 0.25
soundvolume = 0.23
submunitionslive = 1
tracking_speed = 0.75
turnspeed = 0.72
turret_sprite = “turret_miss_v2”
turretsize = 11.0
warhead = EXPLOSIVE
weight = 122
slot_type = TURRET
uisortpos = 1160

[dataitems]
0 = cost,DECIMAL
1 = weight,DECIMAL
2 = hitpoints,DECIMAL
3 = powerconsumed,DECIMAL
4 = max_range,DECIMAL
5 = damage,DECIMAL
6 = fire_interval,INTEGER
7 = tracking_speed,DECIMAL
8 = shield_penetration,DECIMAL
9 = armour_penetration,DECIMAL
10 = crew_required,INTEGER
11 = min_range,DECIMAL
12 = has_decoys,BOOL
13 = missilespeed,DECIMAL
[/code]

Wow, VERY busy week.
I’m taking part in National Novel Writing month, so i’ve been pumping out about 2k words a day. Between that and studying i don’t have a TON of free time.

That said, I’m approaching final numbers on my Archer. I’ve decided that I’m not really going to try to keep it exactly balanced tot he other missiles, as it IS meant to be basically an advancement of the previous missiles. less diverse at the moment, but improved. The Archer might end up being an upgraded MWM/Cruiser Missile, range pushing 1500 and MW, but a higher minimum range so they either have to kill EVERYTHING in their missile envelope or just murder stuff up close with other things.

The beta is turning into a slightly faster-firing, slower-moving, higher range Megaton. I’m probably going to make the flicker missile, a single warhead missile with decoys that has a move and refire rate much advanced on fast missiles, same range, and roughly the same (slightly lower) damage

All in all, i AM making some progress!

Anyone who knows how to make a module file get included please PM me, i haven’t been able to find a guide to do so :confused:

The missile work fine to me but i miss
something in it. I dont know what but
its good for an Alpha. About the capital
ships. Are designing it yourself or do
you just combine ships?

The ships are going to be designed by me, at least initially.
Although i might see if i could borrow the cap’s from the eXpErImEnTaL mod, as they’re pretty good if i tweek them
These missiles are the first stage of a general upgrade plan from the R&D of the rebels. Of course, they quickly got stolen by the other factions. The Archer is meant to be mounted on a capital ship, as is the Beta. The Streak and Flash Missiles will be made for cruisers, and the Obsidian is meant for the fighters. The Obsidian will be released with my fighters, and be Rebel-only for a while
(also: expect v1.0 of the Archer and Beta later today!)

Archer Missile and Beta Missile are up for your testing and comments. Please keep in mind these are meant to be an advancement on the current missiles!

I’d be curious to know if anyone’s downloaded these missiles yet and tried them? I think the archer will see more use, personally, but the Beta is proving to be REALLY effective against my mockup of cap’s

I installed them on my gsb:
In one hand the archer missiles are fast, long-ranged, fast-reload and the most powerful missile on spam, maybe too powerful.
In the other hand the beta type is not so effective than the Archer’s but, its a nice weapon.

EDIT: What about make a VERY long ranged (1000), VERY fast attack rate (50) and VERY low damage (2?) laser repeater? and a rocket box? i mean, a rocket launcher with medium range, low damage and very very very high attack rate:
Normal missile launcher: pew pew
Rockets Box: pewpewpewpewpewpewpewpewpewpew pewpewpewpewpewpewpewpewpewpewpewpew. > same total damage over time than missile launcher

Those will be EPIC, i love the space betwen 2 ships filled of fast, damageless/powerless shots. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

The archer missile is going to get a revision when the hulls for my mod come out, MASSIVLY upping the power requirement. It out shoots in damage, range and fire rate any other missile which means it needs a drawback other then weight and cost. (Thus power xD) Likewise, the Beta’s designated targets (Big, slow, capital ships) hasn’t come out. I’ve got permission from SirJamon to post versions of his capital ships and cruisers from his eXpErImEnTaL mod (which was the first mod i downloaded and the only mod i use on my laptop other then my own), so expect to see targets the Beta is meant to handle over the course of the next week.